Energy and environment: Energy policy

Energy is a major production and cost factor in the textiles and clothing industry. Some production stages (e.g. spinning and textile finishing) require very high quantities of energy, and the costs can account for up to 20 percent of turnover.

In view of this, energy efficiency is by no means a fashionable trend in the textile industry, but is very much in the vested interests of each company. The energy requirement varies according to the production stage of textiles. A great deal of energy is required for the production of process heat, followed by heating, ventilation and lighting. Electricity, heating oil and gas are the most important energy sources in the textiles industry.

Swiss Textiles is campaigning in favour of an energy policy that is compatible with the needs of small and medium-sized companies. The main focus here is on internationally competitive energy prices, sustainable energy supply security and, especially in the electricity segment, the highest possible degree of self-sufficiency (i.e. domestic production). In addition, the increasing administrative effort arising from the introduction of various official regulations and directives needs to be reduced to a level that can be tolerated by small and medium-sized companies.